Animated figure



Jan. 2, 1945. F. E. THOMAS ANIMATED FIGURE Filed March 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 2, 1945. F. E. THOMAS 2,366,576

ANIMATED FIGURE Filed March 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patenteduan. 2, 1 945 ing to .a slow examination of the accompanying drawingsand 'jFig." 2is afragmentary: and enlarged" cross 3 view on the line 3- -3 of Figure 2.

comprising the body of t'he animal.

I ED )STAT S PATENT OFFICE 2,366,576 QANIMATEDFIGURE v a Franlr E Thomas,,Ghicago,Ill.\,

japplication March ll, 1942; s il; No. 434,223 claims. (01.46450) This invention'relates to animatedlfigures particularly quadrupeds whereby the principal ob; ject is to provide animation or motion by virtue of the. mechanism of two legs of. the animal; in this particular case the front two legs havebeen indicated in the drawings as bein theinotivatingelementsinthis invention. i

Another object of myinvention is ;toprovide a unique cam actuating means whichwill furnish locomotion to the forward legs'of an animal thereby causingthe rearward legsto'beaolvanced a and in a .manner whereby the advancement-"of the animalis made in a cycle of timecorrespondadvance movement comparedto a quick andrapidreturn movementof the said legs during the idle period to repeat thefcyclebnce a n 1 i Other objects; features and advantages resident in my invention will become apparent from an the ensuing description wherein" like numerals are used to designate like partsand in which; 1 i Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showingjmy invention and the relative movement thereof after a cycle has been completed.

sectionalviewofthebody of an animalhaving incorporated therein the mechanism necessary for animation andlocomotion. Fig, 3 is an obliquelytransversal cross-sectional" Fig; 4-, Fig. 5; Fig 6; and Fig. 7, show thein tion of the foreleg elements atvarious stages of j a single cycle ofcam operation.

such as a spiral spring lz 'secured at the point 43, and further secured to the motivatingor driver shaft housed in suitable journalsfo'r bearings I 5. The shaft I4 is provided witha square portion 441:0 which .a key maybe applied for windlng, the spring fand storing the potential energy therein which would furnish the motivat ingpower for the mechanism enclosed in the shell ley I7 is secured cam structure designated 45.

ated 46. The shaft portions 46 causing the levers 26 and 3| to, operate integrally and simulate bellcrank action; The leg structureispreferably made of the element 26 y integrally secured to explained, articulately secured to the lower. elebending when understood as pins 35, will, normally, tend to hold 3| and 33 in the position shown in full lines "in kneeat 34 would be,

To the shaft |'4,is secured; a pulleymember l3 whichdrives a pulley member IT by virtue-o1 the belt connection l6, which isgpreferablyof a Vbelt type in order to assuregood frictionalcontact for efficient transmission of power. The pullugsfor bearings 20'and to which is also secured,

preferably, at its central position, the pinion designated l8. The said pinion meshes with the larger-annular or ring gear designated l9, and which is secured by frictional or press fit to the The said camis provided with suitable grooves 24 in order to allow the lugs 23. cam rotatably. .3 Theofiset portion 22, is provided in order to relieve friction and provide a most efficient means of mounting the cam structure 45. The cam structure is provided with a cam raceWayZS,

whichis of such curvature as to effect aslow arcuate movement'of the legs3l to the left look- J ing at the drawing Figure 2, causing the legs9. to advance slidably to the position indicated in dottedlines in that view. The

legs are preferably madeup of elements 3| and '26 which are rigidly secured to the shaft 30 operating in suitable bearir igs located on the body of the animal and desigrocks in the said bearing the element 3| as heretofore ment 33 simulating the knee action of theleg of an animal, by

providing the chamfered portion 32 topermit the legs to bend inwardly and'arcu ately, whereas causing them to be firm to resist moved in the opposite direction, for this structurewill bereadily the description ensues and further The reason elucidates the element 33 is'articulately secured to the element 3t at the point 34 and at this pivot point a fiat spring having one or more coils secured about the pivot 34, beingfurther anchored by"anch.orage the elements Figure 2. Any tendency to bend the legs at the normally, returned to the full lines position indicated by virtue of the actuation of the spring element36.

The roller that is connectedslidably to the slotted portion 21 01 the lever 26 is, preferably,

made, of a button element (28 having a,shahk. xtension ta 'onwhichfthe roller 29' rotatably to the shaft 2| journaled in the to locate and confine, the said operation of my invention." The p I to move in operates, the roller The front legs are, preferably, tipped with frictional pads or shoes 31 which may be made of rubber or any other suitable material. In Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, the operation of the cam is more clearly elucidated. In Figure 4, the rotation of the cam being in the direction indicated, will cause the roller to advance to the high point of the cam 39 in which event the leg willmove to the left as indicated by the arcuate arrow indicating the movement.

Inasmuch as the leg is made of a length which when swinging in the arcuate direction shown, tends to lift the animal, it will do so and perform the operation causing the weight of the foreart of the animal to be shifted from the static support 41 to the motivating leg members generally designed 3| and 33, thus permitting the movement of the legs in the said arcuate direction to cause the rearward leg portions to slide forward to the dotted position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The static support 41 is, preferably, provided with a ball-bearing member 48 in order that it may give the device or the toy when in static posture a tripod type of support comprised of the two rearward legs and the front static support A l which is the ideal construction according to the engineering principles for supports. 1 f

The four legs are operated in unison or synchronism, being motivated by the cam races on opposite sides of the cam structure 45, the said races 25 being congruent or coincidentwith respect to their position on opposed faces of element 45.

In Figure 4, the cam race 25 is advancing toward the peak of the cam 39 thus performing the movement of the legs in the direction of the arrow indicated. In Figure 5, the cam race is approaching the still higher point 49 throwing the legs backward and permitting the animal once again to rest on its forward static support 41. Inasmuch as, the locomotion part of the cycle has been completed, and the leg is about ready to return to its original position, Figure 6,

and Figure 7, elucidate the idle movement of the said cycle.

Figure 6 shows the point 41 about to be contacted by the roller when the legs will be caused the direction to the right indicated by the arcuate arrow shown, and since the le being the same size to fit the r cam race 25. By virtue of the slotted portion 21, the effective movement during the cycle of operaunderstood that I hereby reserve any and all improvements coming within the scope and spirit of my invention and the purview of the accompanying drawings.

Having thus revealed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents is:

1. In an animated 'figure, motivating means adapted to produce locomotionof the said fi r by virtue of motivation'of the fore-members of the said figure, the rear support members of the said figure being integral with the body thereof, and static support means rigidly connected to the body of the said figure adjacent the said foremembers.

2. In an anima ed figure, motivating means adapted to produce locomotion of theiore-members of the said figure, the locomotion of the said fore-members producing a resultant complementary locomotion of the rear portion of the said figure, the rear support members of the said fi ure being integral with the body thereof, and static support means rigidly connected to the body of the said figure adjacent the said foremembers. I

3. In an animated figure, cam motivating means adapted to produce locomotion of the said figure by virtue of motivation of the fore-members of the said figure, rear support members of the said figure being integral with the body thereof, and static support means rigidly connected to the body of the said figure adjacent the said fore-members.

4. In an animated figure, cam motivating means adapted to produce locomotion of the fore-' members of the said figure, the locomotion of the said fore-members producing a resultant compleis longer than the distance provided when the static forward support is supporting the toy, it may be essential that the element 33 of the legs be caused to bend as at the knee 34 indicated in Figure '7. Then the roller working within the cam is about to reach the point -42, and ultimately the lowest point 38, whence the cycle is to be repeated dependent on the continual rotation of the cam structure in accordance with the arrows indicated thereon.

I believe I have described, succinctly, the nature and operation of my invention, and it is mentary locomotion of the rear portion of the said figure, the rear support members of the said figure being integral with the body thereof, and static support means rigidly connected to the body. ofthe said figure adjacent the said foremembers.-

5. In an animated figure, cam motivating means adapted to produce locomotion of theforemembers of the said figure, the said cam motivating means provided with raceway means adapted to produce slow advance movement as compared to a rapid return or idling movement of the said fore-members, and static support means rigidly connected to the bodyof the said figure adjacent the said fore-members and adapt! ed to support the said figure in an advanced position during the said idling of the cycle of motion of the said fore-members.

6. In an animated figure, cam motivating means adapted to produce locomotion of the foremembers of the said figure, the, rear support members of the said figure being integral with the body thereof, the locomotion of the said fore-members producing a resultant complementary locomotion of the'rear portion of the said figure, the said cam motivating means provided with dual raceway means adapted to produce deliberate advance movement of both said foremembers simultaneously as compared to a rapid return or idling movement of the said fore-members for each cycle of operation, and static support means rigidly connected to the'body of the said figureadjacent the said fore-members and adapted to support the said figure in an advanced position during the said idling of the cycle of motion of the said fore-members. I Q

7. An animatedfigure comprising, afhollott body having a head portion and rear leg portions integral therewith, motivating means secured withinthe said hollow body, cam means rotatably secured within the said hollow body,

transmission means coupling the said motivating means with the said cam means, fore-leg means articulately secured to the said hollow body means, and connected by virtue of roller means to the said cam means, the said fore-leg means adapted to pendulate arcuatel advancing the said figure when the said fore-leg means is motivated in one direction, and idling on the return stroke completing the cycle, and static support means rigidly connected to the body of the said figure adjacent the said fore-leg means, and adapted to support the said figure in an advanced position during the said idling period of the cycle of motion of the said fore-leg means.

to said figure forwardly of said fore-members adapted to support said figure during the idling period of said fore-members. h

n n FRANK E. THOMAS. 

